a/n: Welcome to my first SI story, I hope you enjoy it. Any stances or ideas presented in this story are not meant to offend or be insulting so please bear with me. This is meant to be a introduction chapter, introducing how I got into the Mass Effect universe. It may be a little dense on detail, but again do bear with me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect, or any of its characters, except of course my own

Chapter 1: Prologue

That day started off as any normal day, with me walking on to the campus of my community college. Who am I referring to as "me", why I am Nathan West, your pretty average guy about to be thrown in to the universe of Mass Effect. As custom dictates before I get thrown into Mass Effect, you the reader need to know more about me. I'm 20, and you know with a pretty average life, decent grades in high school got me here in community college, the human cespool of every different kind of person you could imagine, from your future Harvard graduate to your lowest of the low pot head. I myself am in the middle, of about everyone one of these spectrums. Sure I got some muscle, but i'm not totally ripped, and i'm pretty smart, i'm actually pretty good at chess, and what not, but what i'm real good at is strategy. When other people see a problem they see 1, maybe 2 solutions, but when I see the problem, I can think up 5 or 6 solutions. My teachers called it innovative, and my parents called it a gift, my parents.

Its been almost two years i've had without them. Two years ago, my parents died in a robbery gone wrong. I was spending the night at a friends at the time, but from the police report I figured out that the robbers didn't get out of there cleanly, which I expected as much. My dad was a marine sniper back in Vietnam, so I suspect that they didn't get out of there without a few broken bones. But damn does it make you grow up fast, I can't tell you how much reality slapped me in the face. When I went back to the house, I told myself that I would find who was responsible, and end them despite the consequences. My mom would have told to forget and forgive, but i'm like my dad, i'm a fighter, not a lover.

I remember my dad used to take me on hunting trips, and not on your normal ones, these were intense. Staying in the wilderness for days at a time hunting big game, elk mostly, but nothing teaches you how to use a gun better, when your confronted with a bear at age 13. It was then that my dad noticed that I had a knack for marksmanship. Mostly for a rifle, but I was also I was also good with throwing his tomahawk which he carried just in case on hunting trips. Over time he entered me in some competitions, and over time he saw that I always placed in them, so he placed me in even more. By the time of his death I usually placed 1st in competition that even had some older veterans in it. They told me I was a prodigy in the sport, but i'd just tell them it was like riding a bike, once you learn you never forget.

So know that i've caught you up lets begin this story.

The day begins as most days do for me, walking onto campus while in a conversation with my long-time friend and roomate of 2 years, Matt, and ironically enough that day the particular topic was Mass Effect.

"Ok your saying that you would rather go out with a Quarian, rather than an Asari?" Matt asked me

"I'm not saying that an Asari wouldn't be good, i'm just saying that i'm just intrigued about the whole face under the mask mystery, plus their accent's are hot" I reply

"hmm solid point" Matt answers "Oh yeah, i'm going to the movies with some friends tonight, you wanna come?"

Sighing I say "No, I can't man its the 21st"

Matt looks at me "Bro, it's been 2 years, your parents wouldn't want you to dwell on this, they would want you to move on"

"I know, I know, I promise this will be the last year"

"Alright man, just be careful, you know the cops don't like it when they see somebody bring a rifle and a tomahawk into a cemetary" Matt laughs

"I wouldn't blame them, lets go we gotta get to class" I say

"Fuck, I hate Calculus"

...

I park my car on the street at the bottom of the hill. I reach into my backseat for the case that my dad's old rifle is in, and the tomahawk as well. I get out of my car and start walking up, where the cemetary is situated on top ot the hill.I enter the cemetary and walk through the many graves towards my parents plot which is situated in the middle of the cemetary. As I walk, it reminds me of their funeral procession through the cemetary, since I was one of the ones carrying my dads casket.

As I reach the graves, I see Officer Johnson waiting for me.

"How you doing son?" he asks as I walk up to him

"Alright sir, you need to check my dad's rifle again"

"Yep, I know its empty, but you know the protocols for this"

"I understand" I replied as I handed him the rifle

He looks it over and hands it back over to me. He then looks at me.

"Cavity search?" I ask

"Yeah"

We do the cavity search and he gives me the all clear. He turns to me.

"You know, your starting to look like your dad, hell even more so with that rifle."

"I get that alot" I reply

"I bet you do, your father was a good man, you planning on following in his footsteps?" he asks

"You know that with my dad, that the marines was always an option for me" I give a little smirk

"I guess it was, well I dont want to keep you waiting so i'll be off" he said as he started to turn away "Take care of yourself Nathan"

"You to sir" I say as he walks off

I sit down next to the grave and pull the tomahawk out and place it next to the grave. Then I pull out my rifle and place it down, grabbing the cleaner and cleaning cloth as well. Lastly I take his old dogtags from my pocket and put it around my neck. Then I start field stripping the gun.

"Hey dad, its me Nathan, just wanted to let you know i'm doing fine. I got a 3.5 this semester at the college, and i'm due to get a pay raise at work soon so thats good. The apartments doing well to, me and Matt are holding up on rent. Officer Johnson hasn't found any leads on your case yet, but he says he'll keep trying. I know when he does find something, I'll do you and mom proud though. I feel a little lost dad, I mean i'm alright right now, but I don't know where I want to go with my life. Officer Johnson says that i'd be a good marine like you but I still dont know. I wish you were here to help me, I miss you and mom"

I started to pack everything up as the sun started to set. "Say hi to mom for me alright"

I finished packing and started to walk away, but some glittered in the sunlight. I turned to see a small object laying on top of my mom's grave. I walked over and picked it up. I looked at it realizing that the glittering wasn't from the sun, but that it was self-illuminating, glowing a reddish-orange color. I looked at it in detail, and it kind of looked like a miniature model of Omega from Mass Effect.

"Wow I play to much Mass Effect" I thought out loud

When I said that it started radiating even more, and got to a point where it was so bright I had to cover my eyes. The last thing I remember was my eyes rolling to the back of my head before I blacked out.

My eyes sprung open, and as I looked around I realized that I was on a bench. I sat up and saw that I still had my bag with me, but as I looked around, I saw that this wasn't my city. Everything was mechanical, but that wasn't even the weirdest part.

'Those aren't humans' I thought

I looked around to see many more lifeforms walking around. As I looked close I realized something.

'No that can't be, that looks exactly like a Turian, and over there was an Asari, and down the other way was a Salarian'

Amazed by this I looked around only to see what looked like a datapad on top of my bag. I reached over and grabbed it.

I was amazed by what it said

"Hello , as you probably already know your in the Mass Effect Universe, specifically Omega, circa 2181. Now I know your wondering why your here. It is in the best interest for buisness purposes that you make sure that Commander Shepard defeats the Reapers. I chose you because of your knowledge of this universe as well as the fact that you are an expert marksman. Now I had other options for this job, so your going to have to prove yourself. In your bag i've provided you with some essentials, an Omni-Tool, and an Avenger I sniper rifle. The rest is up to you. I'll contact you in 7 days, given the fact if your still alive. Good Luck

P.S- Oh yes here is a little incentive for you to try harder, I know who killed your parents, and if you complete this mission for me the information is yours"

I looked at the data-pad with shock "What the hell!"